The Dickinson press., 1887-04-02
rush up the stairs and enter the room.
CLEAN Of light shone through NV blanket

Slesilu oI llSnU SnOne CnrOugn my blanket,
"We've collared the cabman, said strange
voice, "and my mates watchin' him down
stairs. Have you got tho other one, sira'
ayes, hero lie is, with blanket over his
head, and the sooner you can get pair of
handouts on him and lug him off to the
station tho better"
Handouts! Station Then somebody, it
appeared, took mo for the offender. Mean
while l was suffocating. "Help! Helpl
Police!" roared.
"The police amt far off. my fine feller,"
said one of tho voices. "You needn't holler
so loud. But you may as well take off that
blanket, mister, or you'll make the chap
case for the coroner stead o. the magistrate.
I'll be answerable for him now"
The blanket was accordingly removed, to
my great relief. The gas had by this time
been lighted. Being still in my purblind
condition, I could not distinguish details; but
that certainly wasn't my bed, and that cer-
tainly wasn't my dressing table. nor was the
wasn't my room at ALL
"Now, you atrocious scoundrel,' shouted
the person who had removed the blanket;
Why, surely it's Mr.. Prebble"
tny native politeness reasserting itself even
under these trying circumstances II haven't
the pleasure'-
''your next door neighbor. There is some
mistake, am afraid, though can't imagine
for the life Of me how it has come about"
did, or rather 1 didn't see, for couldn't
see anything without my spectacles, under-
NV.
down at the wrong house, and in my sight
less condition 1 did not detect the error.
Wisteria Terrace was the property of n specu-
lative builder, and it was found on subsequent
inquiry that all the front door locks We're ex-
actly alike and that the same key would open
every house in tho terrace. My next door
neighbor was journalist, whose professional
duties kept him out very late at night and he
had returned just i'll time to see the cabman
set me down at his door and to observe nv
cautious journey up the gravel walk Not
nnnaturally, perhaps, lie assumed that we had
burglarious intentions, and only waited to
secure the assistance of tho policeman before
following us i'll and proceeding to capture us
as described,
The eclaircisSement, of course, was grad
ual, for there was much to bo explained on
both sides. Before the explanation had bro
ceedcd far, voice from the bed (where tho
blanket had by this timc been replaccdD said
in chilling tones:
Excuse me, Philip, but don't you think the
rest of the matter might be discussed down
stails!"
Philip being of that opinion, we proceeded
down stairs accordingly, and there in the dim
ing room, found the cabman in the custody
of a second policeman. On seeing me he said
with al injured voice:
"Look q here, guv'nor; you never said
nothin' about this. If I'd lnowel us you was
Oh the burgling lay, blow mo if Id n brought
you under fifteen shillins."
ats all u mistake, it sccms," said Police
man No. to his mate. The gents only a
amatoor like; lives next door, and got into
the wrong crib by mistake"
"Wha-at" said his mate with disguised
look. "Then hasn't there been no crib crack.
ing at all!'
Seems not" said the other "Anyhow, the
gent has squared it,"
"And we amt even to run in the cabnnn2
Well, this is go! Our time reglcr wasted,
along O people not knowing their own minds.
Come along, JIM" And, with an expression
as if his faith in human nature was for ever
destroyed, the disappointed constable pre-
ceded his mate into the street.
Mr.. Gibbes lent me the wherewithal to set.
tie with the cabman, including n reasonable
compensation for his temporary loss of lib
crty, and then assisted nc to regain my own
dwelling. Since my experience of that night
have had new Chubb's lock, warranted
unique, put on my front door, and never
ventured out, even to the postofIice round
the corner, without second pair of spcctacles
i'll my pocket. Gibbes and are very friendly,
but have never been able. to make much
way with his wife. | could not understand
tho reason until, CHANGING one day to make
some reference to the subject, he revealed to
me the mystery.
"Don't seem to get on with the missus! No,
old boy, and you never will. You've done
the one thing woman naver forgives.
You've seen her in curl papers, "-London
Society.